Canada national team don name a 26-man squad for three friendlies against Chile, Peru and USA, but captain Alphonso Davies no dey inside. The reason no be injury this time: na honeymoon. The association confirm am for official statement on Tuesday evening.
Between the World Cup and the start of pre-season at Bayern Munich, Davies marry his Sheyenne Jen for Paris on 23 July. The pair apparently wan celebrate their marriage with a trip together. Canada captain go miss the three scheduled friendlies against Chile, Peru and USA.
Coach Jesse Marsch talk say the decision na by mutual agreement. Marsch explain say dem discuss whether Davies go spend half of the training camp on his honeymoon and then join us, but he simply feel say e important for Davies to enjoy his honeymoon first before continuing work on his physical condition and form.
The 25-year-old left-back tear his cruciate ligament at the start of 2025 while playing for the Canada national team and was then out for three quarters of a year. He then struggle with recurring health problems. A muscle fibre tear rule Davies out for Bayern Munich in the closing stages of last season and he play only 16 minutes for Canada at the long-awaited home World Cup.
After returning to Munich with the injury still bothering him, he initially train on his own. But Davies recently find his form again, scoring a fine goal in the 5-0 win against FK Bodø/Glimt. Marsch also talk say Davies dey play really well, e look very fit and e feel very good. That na why dem want make sure in every respect say in November, when dem need am for some important matches, and then in March as well as throughout the entire next cycle, e go well prepared in every respect so e can always fully commit himself to wetin dem expect from am for the national team.
For Bayern Munich, Davies face Union Berlin in Munich on Friday. Their next match no come until 10 October away at Augsburg.
Toronto FC defenders Richie Laryea and Richard Chukwu dey included in the 26-man group that go play against Chile in Toronto on Sept. 26 before two more friendlies against Peru in Montreal on Oct. 3 and the United States in St. Paul, MN on Oct. 6.
Chukwu, 18, very much represent a changing of the guard for Marsch squad as e look ahead four years to the 2030 World Cup. He don make just one appearance for the Toronto FC first team, 71 minutes in a scoreless draw against the New England Revolution in July, and he never even appear on the bench since. He don be standout at youth national team level for years with Canada, though, including at this summer Concacaf U20 Championship, where Les Rouges qualify for the U20 World Cup for the first time in 20 years.
Jovan Ivanisevic, a Croatian dual-national who plays as defender for FK Sarajevo in Bosnia, be another new face in the senior national team. Ivanisevic previously spend time in the Toronto FC Academy. Fellow academy product Ralph Priso, now with Vancouver Whitecaps, also make the cut alongside teammate Jeevan Badwal after narrowly missing the World Cup squad. Jacen Russell-Rowe also make the squad alongside new Toulouse teammate Niko Sigur.
Laryea don be national team veteran for sometime, and na im fill-in for injured Canada captain Alphonso Davies at this summer World Cup. Davies miss the camp while he go on his honeymoon, while Maxime Crépeau no available as well due to a personal matter. Crépeau recently lose his father, and keep an emotional clean sheet days later for Orlando City, replaced in this camp by James Pantemis.
There go be some element of honouring the players who pave the way for the current and future generations. Junior Hoilett — currently without a club — and CF Montreal veteran Sam Piette both dey included ahead of national team farewells in Toronto and Montreal. Both players make nearly 70 appearances for Canada and dey on the 2022 World Cup squad that qualify for the first time since 1986.
TFC captain Jonathan Osorio, Celtic right-back Alistair Johnston, Sassuolo midfielder Ismaël Koné, Norwich winger Ali Ahmed and Nice centre-back Moise Bombito all miss out due to injury after being with CanMNT at this summer World Cup. Bolton Wanderers winger Jayden Nelson and Portland Timbers defender Joel Waterman, who both move clubs after the tournament, were not selected.
Most of the other regular faces dey there, including Villarreal trio Tajon Buchanan, Nathan Saliba and Tani Oluwaseyi, Swansea City midfielder Stephen Eustáquio, Jonathan and Promise David, and red-hot Southampton man Cyle Larin.
